After a decade of its launch, only 18 out of 100 cities have completed smart cities mission projects — but there are some positive takeaways
In 2015, India launched the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) to improvise urban living with better infrastructure, smarter technology and sustainable solutions. The goal? Make 100 cities more liveable and ‘future-ready’.
As 100 cities have been selected at different timelines during three years from 2015 to 2018, the timeline of five years for completion of the projects was set between 2019 and 2023. The mission was later extended to June 2024. Ironically, when the June 2024 timeline failed, the central government announced another timeline of March 31, 2025, to complete the project.
As per the Smart Cities Mission dashboard, as on March 4, 2025, 7,504 projects (93 percent of total projects) amounting to Rs 1,50,306 crore have been completed and 559 projects amounting to Rs 14,239 crore are ongoing in the 100 cities selected under SCM since inception of the Mission. But as of March 2025, only 18 cities have completed all their smart city projects.
Among the cities that have fully implemented their projects are Agra, Varanasi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Udaipur, Pune, Surat and Vadodara. The remaining seven per cent of the incomplete projects are spread across 82 cities.
Smart Cities Mission
The Smart Cities Mission was launched in June, 2015 with a goal to transform 100 cities with smart infrastructure, technology and services.
The approach to accomplish this mission entailed an area-based development (ABD) to improve a selected part of the city to serve as a model.
Under this centrally sponsored scheme, Rs 98,000 crore committed by the Union government.
As of March 2025 (according to the Press Information Bureau), 18 cities have successfully completed all their projects under the Smart Cities Mission. These cities have fully implemented various initiatives to enhance infrastructure, public services, and urban governance.
Dissecting the delay
Lack of resources in smaller cities:
46 cities have populations under 500,000.
These cities struggled with planning, staffing, and vendors.
Project Delays:
Land issues, legal disputes, and lack of private investment.
Multiple retendering for vendor selection.
Misleading Stats:
High fund utilisation (~91 per cent) doesn’t always reflect real on-ground progress.
State-wise progress examples
Karnataka has 917 smart city projects worth Rs 13,808 crore. Out of these, 891 projects (Rs 13,393 crore) are completed, and 26 projects (Rs 415 crore) are still ongoing in cities like Mangaluru, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Davanagere, Shivamogga and Bengaluru.
Uttar Pradesh has finished 868 out of 891 projects worth Rs 20,423 crore (out of Rs 21,145 crore total). 23 projects (Rs 722 crore) are still ongoing, mostly in Saharanpur, Aligarh, Moradabad, Kanpur, Prayagraj and Lucknow.
Madhya Pradesh has completed 758 out of 788 projects worth Rs 14,410 crore (out of Rs 15,070 crore total). 30 projects (Rs 661 crore) are still ongoing, mainly in Satna, Gwalior, Ujjain, Sagar, and Indore.
In Telangana, 61 out of 169 projects (Rs 669 crore) are still ongoing.
In Andhra Pradesh, 45 out of 280 projects are still ongoing.
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 11 out of 18 projects are still ongoing.
In Haryana, 23 out of 164 projects are ongoing.
In Himachal Pradesh, 26 out of 291 projects are ongoing.
In Manipur, 8 out of 27 projects are ongoing.
In Mizoram, 13 out of 45 projects are ongoing.
In Puducherry, 13 out of 80 projects are ongoing.
In summary, many smart city projects have been completed in major states, but several are still under progress, especially in smaller states and Union Territories.
Major achievements
City-Wide Command Centers: All 100 Smart Cities now have fully functional Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCCs). These act as central hubs, using data and technology to help city officials make smart, real-time decisions.
Safety & Surveillance: Over 84,000 CCTV cameras have been installed across these cities, greatly helping in monitoring public spaces, and preventing crime.
Water Management: More than 17,000 kilometres of water pipelines are being monitored using advanced systems (SCADA). This helps reduce water loss from leaks and ensures efficient water supply.
Waste Management: In over 66 cities, smart technology is being used to improve garbage collection routes and daily waste handling, making cities cleaner and more efficient.
Smart Mobility:
1,740+ km of smart roads have been built or upgraded for smoother travel.
713 km of dedicated cycle tracks have been created to promote eco-friendly transport.
An Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) is now in place, improving traffic flow, monitoring violations, and cutting down travel time.
Education: 9,433 smart classrooms and 41 digital libraries have been set up, bringing modern learning tools to schools.
Healthcare:
172 e-health centres and clinics (no beds) have been launched for accessible medical services.
152 health ATMs are now available, providing basic health checkups and diagnostics.
In conclusion, the Smart Cities Mission has brought change — especially in terms of smarter governance, better transport, and improved safety. But the fact that only 18 cities completed all their projects shows the need for:
Stronger planning
More support for smaller cities
Better execution and follow-through
The journey from vision to reality is halfway there. What’s next will depend on how the remaining 82 cities catch up.
Views are author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth